Monday, June 27, 2016

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA03514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Big Lake, AKProbable Cause Approval Date: 10/17/2017Aircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N9063KInjuries: 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.The private pilot stated that, about 35 minutes into the personal, local flight and while circling a friend’s cabin about 550 ft above ground level, the engine began to “sputter,” followed by a total loss of engine power. He subsequently made a forced landing in an area of densely populated trees, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the wing fuel tanks had been modified and no Federal Aviation Administration major repair and alteration form nor entry in the airplane’s maintenance records were found regarding the modification, no evidence was found indicating that the modification led to the loss of engine power. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

http://registry.faa.gov/N9063KNTSB Identification: ANC16LA03514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Big Lake, AKAircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N9063KInjuries: 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On June 25, 2016, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a Stinson 108 airplane, N9063K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Big Lake, AK. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. Of the three people on board, the certificated private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries and one passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska, at about 1725.During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 25, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take two family members, who were visiting from out of town, on a sightseeing flight. About 35 minutes into the flight, while circling a friend's cabin at about 550 feet above ground level, the engine began to sputter followed by a total loss of engine power. He made a forced landing in an area of densely populated spruce and birch trees. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to wings and fuselage. On October 12, 2016, the NTSB IIC, along with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office examined the airframe and engine at the facilities of Alaska Claims Services, Inc., Wasilla, Alaska. The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft. Both propeller blades exhibited aft bending with minimal torsional "S" twisting. Examination of the Continental O-470R engine revealed no anomalies, contamination, or evidence of malfunction in any of the engine accessories. The cylinders, pistons, valve train, crankshaft, and other internal components were all without evidence of anomaly or malfunction. The engine was rotated by the propeller. When the engine was rotated, blue spark was observed on the top ignition leads.Examination of the airplane's wing fuel tanks revealed that the tanks had been modified. An additional section had been welded on to the factory fuel tank with lightening holes drilled in the factory end. Each tank was placarded near the filler cap on the exterior of the wing "FUEL 80/87 MINIMUM GRADE 20 GALLONS." The fuel selector inside the cockpit was placarded "18 GAL." No FAA form 337 (major repair and alteration) or logbook entry was located in the airplane's maintenance records for the modification of the fuel system.The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.The closest weather reporting facility was Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, AK, about 19 miles east of the accident site. At 1756, a weather observation from Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: wind from 080 degrees at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few clouds at 4,600 feet, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, broken clouds at 7,500 feet; temperature, 66°F; dew point 48 °F; altimeter, 29.89 inHG.After repeated attempts, the pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report form (NTSB Form 6120.1) as required.

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA03514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Big Lake, AKAircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N9063KInjuries: 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On June 25, 2016, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a Stinson 108 airplane, N9063K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Big Lake, Alaska. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. Of the three people on board, the certificated private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries, and one passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, at about 1725.During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on June 26, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take two family members, who were visiting from out of town, on a sightseeing flight. About 35 minutes into the flight, while circling a friend's cabin at about 550 feet above ground level, the engine began to sputter followed by a total loss of engine power. He made a forced landing in an area of densely populated spruce and birch trees. During the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors O-470R engine. The closest weather reporting facility was Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, about 19 miles east of the accident site. At 1756, a weather observation from Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: wind from 080 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few clouds at 4,600 feet, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, broken clouds at 7,500 feet; temperature 66 degrees F; dew point 48 degrees F; altimeter 29.89 inHg.An examination of the engine is pending.

http://registry.faa.gov/N9063KNTSB Identification: ANC16LA03514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Big Lake, AKAircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N9063KInjuries: 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On June 25, 2016, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a Stinson 108 airplane, N9063K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Big Lake, AK. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. Of the three people on board, the certificated private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries and one passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska, at about 1725.During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 25, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take two family members, who were visiting from out of town, on a sightseeing flight. About 35 minutes into the flight, while circling a friend's cabin at about 550 feet above ground level, the engine began to sputter followed by a total loss of engine power. He made a forced landing in an area of densely populated spruce and birch trees. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to wings and fuselage. On October 12, 2016, the NTSB IIC, along with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office examined the airframe and engine at the facilities of Alaska Claims Services, Inc., Wasilla, Alaska. The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft. Both propeller blades exhibited aft bending with minimal torsional "S" twisting. Examination of the Continental O-470R engine revealed no anomalies, contamination, or evidence of malfunction in any of the engine accessories. The cylinders, pistons, valve train, crankshaft, and other internal components were all without evidence of anomaly or malfunction. The engine was rotated by the propeller. When the engine was rotated, blue spark was observed on the top ignition leads.Examination of the airplane's wing fuel tanks revealed that the tanks had been modified. An additional section had been welded on to the factory fuel tank with lightening holes drilled in the factory end. Each tank was placarded near the filler cap on the exterior of the wing "FUEL 80/87 MINIMUM GRADE 20 GALLONS." The fuel selector inside the cockpit was placarded "18 GAL." No FAA form 337 (major repair and alteration) or logbook entry was located in the airplane's maintenance records for the modification of the fuel system.The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.The closest weather reporting facility was Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, AK, about 19 miles east of the accident site. At 1756, a weather observation from Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: wind from 080 degrees at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few clouds at 4,600 feet, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, broken clouds at 7,500 feet; temperature, 66°F; dew point 48 °F; altimeter, 29.89 inHG.After repeated attempts, the pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report form (NTSB Form 6120.1) as required.

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA03514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Big Lake, AKAircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N9063KInjuries: 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On June 25, 2016, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a Stinson 108 airplane, N9063K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Big Lake, Alaska. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. Of the three people on board, the certificated private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries, and one passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, at about 1725.During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on June 26, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take two family members, who were visiting from out of town, on a sightseeing flight. About 35 minutes into the flight, while circling a friend's cabin at about 550 feet above ground level, the engine began to sputter followed by a total loss of engine power. He made a forced landing in an area of densely populated spruce and birch trees. During the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors O-470R engine. The closest weather reporting facility was Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, about 19 miles east of the accident site. At 1756, a weather observation from Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: wind from 080 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few clouds at 4,600 feet, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, broken clouds at 7,500 feet; temperature 66 degrees F; dew point 48 degrees F; altimeter 29.89 inHg.An examination of the engine is pending.

HOUSTON, Alaska (KTUU) - Two people sustained minor injuries in a small plane crash near Houston on Saturday, Alaska State Troopers say.According to a dispatch posted online, the 1949 Super Stinson lost power and crashed about a mile and a half North of Butterfly Lake. Three people were onboard the aircraft: a pilot and two passengers. Troopers were notified of the crash at around 6:15 p.m.“Another aircraft in the area was able to land at a nearby lake and transported all occupants to Anchorage where they received treatment for their injuries at Providence Medical Center,” troopers wrote.The pilot has been identified by troopers as 44-year-old Rusty Kline from Anchorage. The two passengers have been identified as 68-year-old Arthur Cordova and 69-year-old Ruth Cordova, both from Colorado Springs.Brice Banning, a senior aircraft accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said that two of the aircraft’s occupants sustained minor injuries while the third person was uninjured.According to Banning, the aircraft took off from Merrill Field on a sightseeing tour and was scheduled to return to Merrill without stopping. About 35 minutes into the flight, the aircraft sustained a loss of engine power and crashed.Original article can be found here: http://www.ktuu.comAn Anchorage pilot and his two passengers survived a Saturday plane crash near the Nancy Lake State Recreational Area with minor injuries, according to investigators.Pilot Rusty Kline, 44, of Anchorage and his passengers Arthur Cordova, 68, and Ruth Cordova, 69, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, were flying in a four-passenger 1949 Stinson airplane when the taildragger plane lost power and crashed near Butterfly Lake, according to Alaska State Troopers.Butterfly Lake is south of the boundaries of the Nancy Lake State Recreation Area, northwest of Houston.The plane had taken off from Merrill Field for a sightseeing trip and had been in the air for about 35 minutes when it ran into engine problems, said National Transportation Safety Board senior investigator Bryce Banning Sunday.Troopers were notified of the crash at 6:15 p.m., according to an online dispatch posted Sunday."Another aircraft in the area was able to land at a nearby lake and transported all occupants to Anchorage where they received treatment for their injuries at Providence (Alaska) Medical Center," troopers wrote in an online dispatch Sunday.Two of the people in the plane sustained minor injuries and a third was unharmed.What exactly caused the plane to lose power is still under investigation, Banning said.Original article can be found here: http://www.adn.com